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Go Hamster!

I’d list all my activities, but that would really put both of us to sleep. Suffice it to say this was a day for errands and such. I did get a massage today from a gal who used to attend our church. She was excellent! My back feels a little better. She encouraged me to keep stretching, and stretch more, because the lack of it is probably the reason I got injured. I didn’t stretch enough.

Gulp. That was me, swallowing the last remaining hubris from completing 900 miles last year. Surprisingly, it *does* taste like chicken.

I like the idea of massages – but I like to choose who gives ’em to me. Did I mention I suck at relaxing? Yeah. Can’t turn off the brain. For example, during the massage, I recognized an acoustic guitar version of a classical song playing in the background and I’m trying to puzzle out what it is. Kinderszenen? Gah! I’m the hamster on the wheel, turning, turning, until the wheel breaks. Like my back hurting.

This gal was strong and pointed out my scar tissue as she went along – in my shoulders, arms, legs and back. She rubbed it in a (very painful) way in order to break it up. I felt like I was on fire. I figured most of the scar tissue was from kettlebells and the rest from running.

“How do you get scar tissue?” I asked her. So much for being quiet!

“It’s caused when muscles get torn down and built back up again. Well, it’s from overworking a muscle, or doing too much too soon, or resting and then doing a lot…”

Stretching has never been on my radar as super important. But I’m not getting any younger. Things don’t “spring back” the way they used to – my strength, energy, muscles, mind. I must be kinder to myself. I need to make the time to lengthen the muscle while it’s warm.

With other skills, we need to stretch, too. Studies show that was we age, we need to keep our minds sharp. We can do crosswords or sudoku (help!). Trying new activities engages different parts of the brain and we meet new people sometimes, too, widening or stretching our circle of acquaintances. The process for building up a muscle involves tearing down and building back up. This timeout from running feels very much like a tearing down of sorts. I will strengthen myself as many ways as I can in the interim so I can be built back up.